Ask For Help! Be Accountable To Someone.

C is for Coaching. It probably seems a little self-serving, since I’m a financial coach. While I do think that more should seek out services like mine, the truth is we each should have somebody in our life that we trust to guide and urge us on to be better, especially in the area of money. Sadly, too few of us do.

For some reason, our money – more than almost any other issue in our lives – is not to be discussed with other people. It’s taboo. We talk about personal relationship issues, health issues, spiritual issues, addictions to pornography and drugs, but we don’t talk about money.

– Russ Crosson, The Truth About Money Lies.

So, how do you find a money coach?

• Think about your money. How are you struggling? What do you want to change? Coaches can only help you make progress if you’ve thought about the direction you’re trying to go.

• Speak up about it. Being open about your need gives others the opportunity to bless you with options you might not have been aware of.

• Learn more. We’re living in an age of information. Take advantage of books, videos, and podcasts. Find out what kinds of money management classes and seminars are being offered in your area. Also, read the Bible. The books of Proverbs and the teachings of Jesus are full of valuable lessons about money.

• Act. The more you expose yourself to sound money principles, and the more you surround yourself with like-minded people, the sooner you’ll find a coach. Maybe it’s that millionaire that looks nothing like a millionaire – or the teacher of the money management class you’re taking – or a pastor. Buy them lunch, and ask for help.

You might decide that hiring a financial coach is your best answer. It’s worth paying to get results because your heart follows your money. If you spend it on knowledge and accountability, then you’ll put your heart into it.

Where do you go for great money advice? And who’s holding you accountable with your saving and spending? Anyone have a good word for Z? Let me know in the comments below!

[image from publicdomainpictures.net]

Quick Hits: What got you broke won’t get you free. Money management tips from 1939. Near space exploration.

• It takes time, when you’ve first hit the point of being broke, to realize that you can’t keep doing the things you’ve always been doing. You go through much the same process as the five stages of grief. That opening stage of denial can be difficult to overcome, because the bad habits that got you into trouble are so hard to break. People think they only need to change one little thing, and all of their troubles will evaporate. That’s why it’s so important for me to make sure that the person who is asking me for financial coaching is actually open to being coached. I don’t want to be fighting their excuses every time we come together to have them try something new. What got you broke won’t get you free, you’ll have to change.

• This is a great post covering the finer points of a money management pamphlet that was written in 1939. This was written before there were credit cards. And before the FICO score ruled over everything. And that was less than one hundred years ago. Now, the average American family has a negative net worth. Maybe we need to humbly go to our ancestors and ask for their advice?
  

• 50 years of exploring near space, and we’ve barely just scratched the surface. I love that we’ve started reaching out further using unmanned missions, but I hope that we return to the moon in my lifetime.

Quick Hits: On coaching well. Regulating alcohol like marijuana. Crayon sculptures.

• I’m getting ready to launch a financial coaching business. The passion to see more and more people learn how to prosper, so they can invest in the possibility of their future and become more generous, has grown with each year since my family took control of our finances and found freedom. One of my big concerns is that (even though I’ve been trying out my skills for the last year on a sporadic, volunteer basis) I won’t be able to connect well with the people I’m trying to serve. I know that the way I communicate what I know is as important as the knowledge itself. I want to bring out the best in people. I don’t want to rob somebody of their confidence when I’m trying to challenge them to grow.

• Amendment 64 in Colorado was supposed to regulate marijuana like alcohol, but it hasn’t exactly turned out that way thus far. I’m not terribly disappointed or discouraged by that, mind you. Anyone paying attention had to know that undoing the culture surrounding this drug wasn’t going to happen after a single step, despite all the facts and support this kind of change enjoys. Fortunately, a little playful absurdity can lighten the mood, and the Campaign to Regulate Alcohol Like Marijuana is a perfect example of creatively pointing out the insanity of those who resist the change. In their letter to the Colorado governor, they brilliantly encourage the regulations surrounding alcohol consumption be strengthened to match the proposed structure around marijuana legalization. Hopefully, no one in office will take their suggestion seriously. Restricting alcohol like that might be a bad idea.

• Pete Goldlust carves crayons. And he’s not alone. And if my girls got a hold of any of these, they’d be used to make Cinderella look like some sort of royal rainbow clown on a page of one of their overpriced Disney coloring books. Value is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.

Quick Hits of the Week

• Each person who comes to me for financial coaching knows that they need to make some changes. Part of my job is to identify what obstacles they’ve set up that keep them from changing, and teach them to overcome those obstacles as quickly as they can. Dave Ramsey’s team has identified a few of the really common hurdles that we set in our own way. What’s your biggest obstacle?

• Why should we go above and beyond? Because it’s a privilege. Seth Godin on doing the extra work.

• Speaking of doing the extra work: Holy labor of Lego love, Batman! Every kid is into Legos, but some people take it to impressive extremes. Fantastic work, all around. Parts of it are automated, too. Check out the whole gallery, including the video tour.

• If you are serious about the shrinking of individual civil liberties you should look at this chart. On the other hand, if you’re primarily interested in reducing wasteful government spending, you should take a look at this chart. If you have any questions, or want to learn more, you should go here. We can argue over the minutia presented, but the overall message is correct, and it’s time this country made a change.

• I wanted to hit this with a false air of seriousness, but my inner pre-teen has been giggling like an insane clown since I found it. So, it’s my pleasure to introduce Dr. Chew and share her work with these amazing turtles! Hee hee…bathroom humor.

Is there something valuable or important or cool or funny or weird or awesome out there I missed this week? I can’t hit it all, but you should let me know about it by dropping me a line or sharing it in the comments below! I’d appreciate the heads up.